The present invention relates to a facsimile relay device.
A facsimile device having an image memory is known and practically used. Such device having various functions which are applications of the image storage function of the image memory is also known.
A facsimile relay device is one of such devices for performing such functions.
The facsimile relay device functions to store, in the image memory, an image information and a destination information including a destination appointing information (for example, telephone number of the destination station, etc.) and a sending appointment time and to call for the destination station at the appointed time and send the stored image information to the destination station. It may be possible to designate a plurality of stations to which such stored image information is to be sent.
The facsimile relay device further sends a relay certificate to the sending station which had requested the relay after the relay transmission is completed so that the sending station can confirm the completion of a relayed transmission.
In the conventional relay device, however, it is impossible to send such certificate to the sending station when the latter station is busy or a communication line between the latter station and the relay device malfunctions.
Further, the conventional relay device is generally provided no protection facility for erasure of the content of the image memory due to an accidental brief interruption of power supply to the relay device and, therefore, it is impossible to know, from the side of the sending station, whether or not the image information has been relayed to a desired station.